Aeroplane stabilizing mechanism



F. DOVE.

AEROPLANE STABILIZING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6. KQIB.

1 ,3 L9n Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

1A 'VEJVTOR.

, iw/M' Dame:

a A snares,

FRANK DOVE, 0F TOPEKA,'KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO A. K. LONGrR-EN, OF MISSOURI.

Kansas CITY,

I AEROPLANE STABILIZING MECHANISM.

LS-Z LMM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK DOVE, a citizen of the United States, residing at T0- peka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplane Stabilizing Mechanism; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the 'letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speci- 'fication.

My invention relates to aeroplane stabilizing mechanism, and more particularly to mechanism for effecting an automaticv control of the plane laterals or ailerons to re tain the aeroplane equipped with the mechanism in lateral or transverse balance; the principal object of the invention being to provide mechanism of this character controllable by the movement of a pendulum or suspended weighted actuator, and comprising an aerofoil mechanism through which the air current or wind pressure is utilized to move the ailerons toretain the plane in a stabilized position, it being understood that the aerofoil mechanismis quite dis tinct from any of the usual operating mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism of this character for automatically banking the aeroplane at the necessary angle when a turn is made to insure against side slipping in either direction.

It is also a purpose of my invention to construct a mechanism capable of being attached to a known type of aeroplane.

In accomplishing these objects, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure I is a side elevation of a portion of an aeroplane showing a stabilizing device constructed according to the present invention, mounted thereon.

Fig. II is an enlarged side view'of the stabilizing mechanism.

Fig: III is a plan view of the same.

Fig. IV is a front view of the mechanism, showing the pendulum for actuating the aerofoil mechanism.

Referring more in detail to the drawings: 1 designates an aeroplane of a type whereon the present mechanism is particularly applicable, and which comprises a body 2, propeller 3, upper and lower planes at and 5 respectively and a landing carriage 6; the plane 4. being provided at its opposite rearward corners with the hingedly mounted laterals or ailerons 78 whereby lateral balance of the plane is maintained. Mounted centrally on the top plane 4 and near its forward edge is an anchor or bearing plate 9 which is fixed to the plane by bolts 10 extending through the plane, and extending upwardly from the said plate is a boss 11 wherein the shank 12 of a shaft bearing 13 is i'votally fixed.

xtending through the bearing 13 in such a manner that it may swing pivotally on the plate 9' in a horizontal plane, is a tubular shaft 14:, theforward and rearward ends of which terminate respectivelv a, slight distance ahead and back of the corresponding edges of the plane, and .fixed to the rearward end of the shaft is a yoke member 15, comprising spaced vertically alining arms 16-16 which at their ends support a verti- I tive position.

Extending through and revoluble within the shaft 14 and having its opposite ends projecting slightly therefrom, is a rod 21, and fixed to the forward end of said rod is a swinging weighted actuator comprising a rod 22 having a weight'23 adj ustably mounteed thereon which maintains the rod 22 in vertical alinement. The rod 22 also comprises a vertical standard 24 that continues above the pivot point whereon an aerofoil 25 13 mounted and adapted to pivot in a vertical plane. The function of this aerofoil 25 is only tosteady the actuator and parts connected therewith, and toprevent any swinging tendency of the actuator which would. cause an uncertain travel of the plane.

At the rearward end of the rod 21 I affix' l adjacent the ends of the plane, there being an outwardly and upwardly curved lever arm 26 which at its upper endis pivotally connectedby a link 27 to the areofoil at the upperside of the recess. With thi connection, swinging of the actuator toward either end of theplane will revolve the rod 121 to mov the rear end of the aerofoil 18 in alike direction.

Attached to the shaft 14 by means of a pin 28 extending therethrough at a short distance ahead of the bearing 11 is a plate 29 and fixed to its opposite ends and extending to the bracket 3-2 and 32 on the laterals of the plane are cables 30-30 which operate over sheave wheels 31-31' mounted similar'brackets and connecting cables below the-plane, as best shown in Figs. 1, II and With the stabilizing device so constructed and mounted, and the cables 3( attached to theailerons, while the plane maintains a: lateral balance the rudders follow plane until the areofoil is brought into aline-- The the aerofoil to move the rearward end of the shaft 14 toward the higher end of the ment with the direction of travel. movement of the shaft 14 by the connection of the cables 30-30 moves the aileron at the higher side of the plane upwardly and lowers the opposite aileron so that the lane is forced back to normal position, w ereupon the weighted actuator moves the areofoil 18 back into alinement with the shaft 14 and the same follows in alinement with the direction of travel of th plane.

It is also seen that" should it be desired to turn the aeroplane, the necessary banking" .will be automatically accomplished.

This is due-to the fact that when a turn is started, centrifugal force on the weighted actuatorwill swing the weight toward. the outer side of the curve a certain distancein accordance'with the rate of travel and degree of the turn being made. As the weighted actuator swings outward, as beforedescribed, the ailerons are actuated to raise the aeroplane at the outer side of the turnso that it will-be banked precisely at the right inclineto make the turn without any side slipping.

lln order that the automatic feature may be disconnected and the ailerons be manually operated, I attach a cable 33'to the pin 28 which extends to a position accessible to the aviator, so that if an occasion is necessary, he may disconnect the'parts by pulling the pin from the shaft 14: which would allow the aerofoil mechanism to operate idly without effect on the stabilizing aile the weighted actuator, an aerofoil carried by ,2

the laterally swinging 'mem ber, means connecting the aerofoil and the actuator whereby movement of the actuator will impart movement to the aerofoil, and means connected to the laterally winging member for actuating the ailerons of an aeroplane.

2. A. stabilizer comprising a laterally swinging member, a weighted actuator swingingly mounted upon one end, of the laterally swinging member, an 7 aerofoil swingingly secured to the other end ofthe laterally swinging member, operative con-. nections between the laterally swinging actuator and the aerofoil, and means carried by the laterally swinging member for connection to the ailerons of an aeroplane. 3. A stabilizer comprising a laterally swinging member, a weighted actuator swingingly mounted upon one end of the laterally swinging member, an aerofoil swingingly secured to the other. end of the laterally swinging member, operative connections between the laterally swinging ac-- tuator and the areofoil, and cables carried by the laterally swingingmember for connection to the ailerons of an aeroplane.

4. In combination with an aeroplane com prising a plane having ailerons at its opposite ends for maintaining its lateral stability, astabilizing device comprising a supporting shaft, an aerofoil mounted at one end of the shaft for controlling the move- 7 :ment thereof, a swinging weighted actuator at the opposite end of the shaft operatively connected with the aerofoil to efiect its IIllOVBIIIIIt on horizontal. displacement of the plane, and means for operating the aile- I rons by movement of the supporting shaft to move the plane to a stable position.

5. In combination with an aeroplane comprising a plane having ailerons at its opposite ends for maintaining its lateral stability, a stabilizing device comprising a horizontal, pivotally mounted supporting shaft,

an aerofoil ivotally mounted at one end of the said sha a swinging weighted actuator at the opposite end of the shaft operatively connected with the aerofoil to move the latthe ailerons for actuatingthe latter to move the plane to a stable position. v

6. In combination with an aeroplane comprising a planehaving ailerons at its opposite ends for maintaining its lateral stability, a stabilizing device comprising a horizontally disposed supporting shaft pivotally mountedon said plane, an aerofoil pivotally mounted at the rearward end of saidshaft,

a swinging weighted actuator mounted at o the opposite end of the shaft and operatively connected with the aerofoil, so that movement of the actuator toward either end of I the plane operates the aerofoil to move the rearward end of th supporting shaft in the opposite direction, and cables attached to the. forward end of the supporting shaft and to the ailerons for actuating the same to move the plane to stable position.-

I 7. In combination with an aeroplane-comprising a. plane having ailerons at its opposite ends for maintaining its lateral stability,

a stabilizing device comprising a horizon tally disposed supporting shaft pivotally mounted onsaid plane, an aerofoil pivotallv mounted at the rearward end of said shaft, a rod extending longitudinally and revolubly through the supporting shaft, a swinging' weighted actuator fixed to the forward .end of said rod, a lever arm mounted on the opposite end of said rod and operatively connectedto said aerofoil in such a manner that movement of the actuator toward either end of the plane actuates the aerofoil to move the rearward end of the shaft in an opposite direction, and cables attached to the forward .end of the supporting shaft and to the ailerons for actuating the same to 'move the plane to stable position.

8. In combination with an aeroplane comprising a plane having ailerons at its 0 p0- site ends for maintaining its lateral stability,

a stabilizing device comprising a horizonmounted adjacent its forward end on said plane, an aerofoil pivotally mounted at the rearward end'of said shaft to normally re tain the shaft in alinement with the direction of travel of the plane, a rod revolubly mounted in the tubular shaft and extending from the opposite ends thereof, a swinging weighted actuator fixed to the forward end of said rod, a lever arm fixed to the opposite end of said rod and a link pivotally connectin said arm with said aerofoil, whereby revolule movement of the rod under the influence of the actuator moving toward either end of the plane will actuate the aerofoilto move the forward end of the shaft in a like direction, and cables attached to the forward end of the shaft and to the opposite end ailerons whereby the latter may be actuated to move the plane to stable position.

9. The combination with an aeroplane comprising a plane havin ailerons at its opposite ends for maintainmg its transverse I balance, a stabilizing device comprising a on its pivot in a horizontal plane, an aerofoil pivotally supported at the rearward end of the. shaft in a vertical plane and adapted to retain the supporting shaft normally in alinement with the direction of travel of the plane, a rod revolubly mounted in the tubular shaft and extending from its opposite ends, a swinging weighted actuator fixed to th forward end of said rod, a lever arm fixed to the opposite end of said rod, a link connecting the arm with the. aerofoil so that movement of the actuator toward either end of the plane will actuate the aerofoil to move the forward end of the supporting shaft in a like direction, cables fixed to the forward end of the shaft and to the said ailerons to actuate the latter to retain the plane in transverse balance, and a stabilizing aerofoil mounted freely on the pendulum for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRANK DOVE. 

